Good news everyone!

After three months I went up to North Dakota, too early to be back Taylor and I both agreed, to get checked up.  I was to get a PET/CT and a PFT test.  It was Taylor, Dad, and myself going up again.  We stayed at the Air Force base like my Dad always does since it is cheaper.  We arrived on Sunday, the 15th and left for home on the 17th.  We had two early days while we were there, which were tough since I am currently working nights for the remainder of my summer.  Even with that we managed to wake up at 6:30am both days.

Monday was a busy day, waking up at 6:30 being ready to leave by 7.  Once we arrived at the cancer center I checked in and we headed down stairs.  After a short wait I was called back to get the labs drawn, radioactive junk put in, and an hour of waiting in a small dark room.  While I was doing this Dad and Taylor went off to get some breakfast at Perkins.  I tried to nap while I was in there, but to no luck.  I couldn't fall asleep.  Eventually I was let out, instructed to use the restroom and then brought to the room to get the scan, and after an uncomfortable 30-40 minutes I am done.  We leave to run a few errands, get some breakfast for me, and visit my friend Eric for a few minutes.  After this we are back at the hotel, and I can't stay awake any longer and lay down, Taylor and I take a nap.

When we wake up we head back to the cancer center to get the results of the PET/CT.  This is when Dad says that he is a bit nervous, and I don't blame him.  After we get there we were brought back to the exam room fairly quickly.  After the nurse left the doctor came in just minutes later.  He goes over a few things and we look at the scan.

We are told that there isn't any thing PET positive any longer, I am rid of the cancer.  When we got the news Dad and Taylor both say " Yess! " :)

So, I guess that makes me a Cancer Survivor.

Now I will see the doctor every 3 months for check-ups and CT scans every 6 months for a few years.  What I need to do now is stay this way for 5 years, because then the odds of it coming back are very slim I am told.

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The next day was another early morning for the pulmonary function test.  More breathing into this tube thing, and one thing I had not done before.  Walked around at a quick pace while they monitored my oxygen level.
After we went to check out at the hotel, visit the commissary, and check out a garden before heading back to see the lung doctor.  When we go back we are given more good news!  My lungs aren't as good as they were before I started treatment, but they are within a normal range.  This is very much improved.  The doctor isn't sure if they are as good as they will get or if they will continue to get better.  I'll do another PFT in 3 months to find out, but other than that he doesn't think I need to do anything else.


So there you have it, Cancer defeated, lungs recovering.  Hope you are all doing well.